"I feel more comfortable at Super Rugby level now," Naivalu said via a Rebels press release. "Back in Round 1 when I made my debut off the bench in Christchurch, I had confidence in my ability but I hadn't tasted the intensity of Super Rugby before; now I am more used to it. My teammates and the coaches definitely have higher expectations of me now than they did at the start of the year. They expect me to perform and to play my natural game as I contribute to the team."

Melbourne Rebels coach Tony McGahan said Naivalu had become a fan favourite and was excited to see how the Fijian would develop over the next couple of years.

"We're in no doubt that Sefa has all the attributes to continue to contribute at this level, but we have allowed him to take his time to settle into the program," McGahan said. "His continual improvement has allowed him to be selected each week in the matchday 23, and has also made him a real crowd favourite at AAMI Park.

"By adding another year to his contract, we are confident that Rebels fans will get to watch Sefa continue to progress as he becomes more comfortable playing Super Rugby; that's certainly something we can all get excited about, and we're delighted that Sefa sees his future in Melbourne."